REPORT ON PROPOSED HIKING-BICYCLING TRAIL

Covering Section From

Vestal, Tennessee, to Sevierville, Tennessee

By

SMOKY MOUNTAINS HIKING CLUB, INC.

Box 1454

Knoxville, Tennessee 37901

July 21, 1967

INDEX

Report No.
1.	Vestal to Gap in Brown Mountain
2.	Gap in Brown Mountain to Shooks Gap
3.	Shooks Gap to Oak City
4.	Oak City to Boyds Creek Crossing
5.	Boyds Creek Near BM 897 to BM 889 (S46)
6.	BM 889 (S46) to Sevierville
	Maps

REPORT ON PROPOSED HIKING-BICYCLING TRAIL

On the weekend of July 1, 2, 1967, members of the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club made reconnaissance trips covering the entire distance from Vestal, Tennessee (Knoxville suburb) to Sevierville, Tennessee, along the right-of-way of the former Smoky Mountain Railroad. The purpose of these scouting trips was to determine the feasibility of this route for a combined hiking and bicycling trail from Vestal to Shook's Gap with the bicycling trail continuing on to Sevierville but with the hiking trail separating from the railroad at Shook's Gap and following another route to the northern boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The reports for the six sections of the railroad right-of-way follow. TVA 7.5 minute quadrangle topographic maps covering the complete length of the right-of-way are:

1. Knoxville quadrangle 147 N.W.
2. Shooks Gap quadrangle 147 N.E.
3. Boyds Creek quadrangle 156 N.W.
4. Douglas Dam quadrangle 156 N.E.
5. Pigeon Forge quadrangle 156 S.E.

Status Report No. 1 - Vestal to Gap in Brown Mountain

Traveled by C. E. Klabunde, R. McKenney, S. J. Rimshaw, Myrtle M. Seno

Notes by C. E. Klabunde. 8:30 a.m. - 11:40 a.m.

1. Turn off Highway 33 - Old Maryville Pike - in front of Southern Railroad overpass and go 1 block up to...
2. Beginning of Smoky Mountain Railroad is used as unloading siding (lumber). Full cars were backed into weeds completely blocking way. We detoured down the road parallel to Southern Railroad 1 block, turned left on Winstead Street up to Avenue A and left to bridge over Smoky Mountain Railroad. Weeds and some trash in this section. We did not investigate back towards start - probably is open.
3. Bridge completely missing over tiny stream, steep drop - 10 feet both sides. (Bridge may have never been here and railroad embankment has been cut through recently.)
4. Weeds and trash heavy but good plum trees on railroad at this area and along to next road.
5. Level grade crossing - note: parallel side tracks do exist; on north side spur ends in weighing device. Very pleasant stretch from here to (6.), nice lawn below at first and gardens above; then through area with nice woods up hillside on right.
6. Level grade crossing - rail-covering pavement patches visible in road--Martin Mill Pike. From here to (7.) is road not shown, on north side just beside railroad ending past second house at...
7. Gate (light logs) in barbed wire fence across railroad. Road continues into apparent cow pasture. Pasture extends all the way to (8.). In this area weeds are well controlled by grazing - we did not see cows. Switches still in place at ends of triangle.
8. Other fence - barbed wire. Note: up to here, rails have mostly been in place.
9. Railroad cut has been filled completely (20 feet deep) at road so road is level with no bridge. The gully below north side of road is open with lawn-type grass field on northeast of railroad to road. On south side the railroad cut is very densely overgrown and looks deep but is apparently open at bottom and much used by children. We followed road along southwest side above railroad then checked back part way towards (9.); two stacks of ties.
10. Magazine Road - grade crossing; road level cut down - 2 feet below railroad recently to level road.
11. Magazine Road - grade crossing again, beside Moore Road which parallels railroad then on east side.
12. New fences: second home on road west of Moore Road has vegetable garden recently extended (corn) onto railroad. Second new wide-mesh fence installed only just across railroad on north end then between railroad railroad and Moore Road for 34 paces, then it stops at lot line. There, next-door neighbor plans to do same - posts are in (42 paces) but no wire; also his garden does not yet include actual railroad.
13. Grade crossing at Moore Road (we walked road but railroad was open OK). Limestone blocks, dozen or so, 2' x 2' x 4', piled loosely in railroad on west side of crossing.
14. Some lawns come to edge of railroad along here; mostly open, level.
15. Grade crossing at intersection of West Ford Valley Road and Stonecress Lane.
16. Pair of barbed wire fences for horse pasture. About 200-300 feet between also parallel railroad.
17. Grade crossing - approximately level. Some lawns on north side come close to railroad for short ways past, then fairly heavy weeds.
18. Last paved grade crossing.
19. Very heavy weeds and trash; first stretch depressed and frequently wet; second stretch cleared. Note: open grass field parallels on south side all the way from (18.) to (22.).
20. Garden - one of the homes on new road (200 feet north, parallel railroad) has vegetable garden up on the railroad, small patch tomatoes, peppers, squash, no fences.
21. Picnic shelter and playground below railroad to north - probably part of church property.
22. Gravel road grade crossing - frome here into curve, railroad brush has been very recently cleared; no indication why.
23. Deep steep-wall cut is open and completely kudzu covered.
24. 65 mph speed limit sign visible on 441 just beyond gravel grade crossing at edge of kudzu area.
25. Gravel road not shown on map slopes down from 441, then uses railroad grade - 300 feet until it swings road to follow stream gully toward west.
26. Railroad from here through Browns Gap is in very deep cut 50 feet or so below road with vertical rock walls at some points, quite wet some places, fairly heavy growth but so well shaded by trees (and kudzu far above) that brush is not too bad.
27. Dirt road up to house on hill. Marks end of section covered by this party.

General Notes: Even where weeds and brush were heavy, there was usually an obvious pathway through it. Never were there any impassable places or trees down or streams flooded. In fact, most of the seven streams shown on original map were never noticed because original culvert drainage systems under railroad embankment were still working well. (One near Meridian Church was eroding so embankment was narrowed on north side.)

Blackberries were good all along. Plums as noted. Some kind of wild cherries about (9.) - (11.).

None of the fences was "posted."

Status Report No. 2 - Gap in Brown Mountain to Shooks Gap

Traveled by M. G. Bickley, O. K. Sergeant, H. M. Weatherly

Notes and sketches by H. M. Weatherly. 9:06 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Start at Brown Mountain (Charles Antiques) where the railroad is in a deep cut paralleling the west side of Highway 441. Cross private driveway at 0.25 mi. where cut ends. Cross Dick Ford Road at 0.4 mile. About 50 feet short of the private driveway crossing at 0.5 mile, we crossed a ditch with concrete abutments both sides, approximately 10 feet wide and 8 feet deep.

Go under 2 inch pipeline at 0.7 mile.

Cross blacktop road at 1.0 mile with a gap in railroad bed of about 75 feet with grade about 20 feet above road. Bridge is recommended here for safety.

In the next 0.3 mile we encountered: first, a cut about 15 feet deep and 300 feet long which has been partially filled with tree stumps and other debris and trash; then a private driveway followed by a pair of fences about 50 feet apart; then in another 200 feet, a creek where there is a gap in the railroad bed of about 50 feet with concrete abutments and concrete pier in the middle where the creek bed is about 35 feet below railroad grade level.

Crossed blacktop road at 1.3 miles. At creek crossing about 0.1 mile further on, there is a gap of approximately 30' x 12' deep in railroad bed.

Crossed culvert under railroad at 1.6 miles.

Next is the triangle of roads at Neubert.

100 feet beyond is a ditch 20 feet wide by 15 feet deep with concrete abutments rising 10 feet above water. In another 200 feet at 1.8 miles is an old wooden water tank on the left. This tank is in bad condition and probably should be torn down for safety's sake. 100 feet or so further on, we passed a house trailer maybe 25 feet to the right of railroad, then for perhaps another 100 feet, a private driveway coincides with the railroad bed up to about 200 feet short of McCammon road at 2.0 miles.

Approaching Pickens Gap Road, we found a ditch about 6' x 6' with concrete abutments at about 600 feet before the road and another ditch (about 300 feet short of the road) where drain tile will be needed, probably 12 inch or 16 inch.

Just beyond the long, slanting grade crossing at Pickens Gap Road is the stream which runs through the Gap. On either side of this stream crossing are concrete abutments about 10 feet to 12 feet apart and 6 feet above the water.

From here for about 300 feet to the next road crossing, the railroad crossties have not been removed. At this next road crossing, an old road, which has been parallel along right side of railroad since Pickens Gap Road, now crosses to the left side and continues over there at a distance of some 40 feet for another 200 feet before turning away.

A few feet further east, a small stream flows under railroad in concrete culvert and just beyond it is an electric fence at 2.75 miles. Apparently, current was not turned on.

At 3.0 miles is road, blacktop to the right and gravel to the left of railroad.

At 3.5 miles same small stream again flows under railroad in concrete culvert.

Crossed Highland View Road at 3.7 miles. There is a fence on the near (north) side of road.

At approximately 4.65 miles there is a small subdivision on left of railroad and roadbed is strewn with rocks of about 4 inch size for a short distance.

About 0.2 mile further, where the mail box of Ivan T. Smith adjoins the railroad bed on the left, we crossed a narrow blacktop road (4.85 miles).

Finally, we swung right into Shooks Gap as several private driveways crossed the railroad.

Trip ended at 6.0 miles on the west side of Highway 441 in the Gap.

Status Report No. 3 - Shooks Gap to Oak City

Traveled by Phillip Ewald and Herman Strauch

Notes by Phillip Ewald

Shooks Gap - Pitner: 1 drainage cut at Bell Chapel; 1 electric fence; 6 barbed wire fences; 2 ploughed sections; 1 auto junk yard; 1 set beehives; high weeds all the way; ties nearly all gone; footing generally good.

Pitner - Oak City: 1 electric fence; 12 barbed wire fences; 2 cuts for new roads; several tie piles; several blowdowns; bridge gone at Sevierville Pike; high weeds all the way; ties still down just beyond Pitner; footing muddy beyond ties; good ballast just before Seymour (Sevierville Pike crossing); many blowdowns from road construction at Oak City. Footing generally good.

Generally speaking, this is a pleasant section about half wooded, some back yards and junk at a dozen or so places, plenty of good views of open farmland with the Smokies as a backdrop.

Easy access at Shooks Gap, Pitner, Oak City. The latter even has a primitive park complete with a couple of run-down but usable privies!

Status Report No. 4 - Oak City to Boyds Creek Crossing

Traveled by H. G. Smith, K. S. Warren 9:00 a.m.-12: Noon

Notes by K. S. Warren

9:00 a.m. Oak City

9:08 Rivulet

9:09 Bridge out - 20 feet deep

9:25 Tripped over fence. Railroad bed raised here.

9:31 Barbed wire, 3 strand, oblique to railroad bed.

9:40 Crossed main gravelled road - "Fox Pond Road".

9:47 Crossed gravelled road.

9:50 Good shade

9:54 Crossed gravelled road near gate of Moncier's Farms to artery road

10:05 Crossed woods road. Woods on left, good shade.

10:06 2 strand barbed wire fence

10:09 Crossed old 2-strand barbed wire fence.

10:10 Crossed gravelled road (old Sevierville Pike).

10:15 Nice shade

10:18 Crossed dirt road.

10:24 Bridge across dry creek bed missing. 8 feet wide between concrete abutments.

10:30 Good shade

10:35 Crossed 4-strand barbed wire fence.

10:38 Left railroad bed by crossing field from road. Bed raised here.

10:48 Crossed new fence into grassland. Crossed dirt road, cornfield beside it (road probably not on map). A. W. Wolfe on sign facing old Sevierville Pike: NO HUNTING. Returned to old Sevierville Pike by walking 150 feet .2 mile from school.

11:03 Railroad bed displaced; blocked by other side of cornfield.

11:05 Good shade 300 yards passing school.

11:12 Crossed paved highway (acess point here by vehicle to railroad bed).

11:18 One-strand electric fence cross railroad bed (1). One-strand electric fence cross railroad bed (2).

11:25 Rocky Springs Church on right (south side). (Did not see creek crossing between gas station and church.)

11:27 Dump cans and concrete on south side. Railroad bed in cut, below fields.

11:40 Shade spotty; cornfields both sides.

11:45 Gas substation 100 feet off railroad bed (south).

11:50 Coming out east through field. Good blackberries along the side.

12:00 Railroad bed above road (about 25 feet) on west side. Old bridge foundation on east side.

Status Report No. 5 - Boyds Creek near B.M. 897 to B.M. 889 (S46)

Traveled by C. M. DuBois, S. J. Rimshaw, O. K. Sergeant

Notes by C. M. DuBois

Report on 4.16 mile section from Boyds Creek east to road crossing west of Sanders Islands (section 3 to 4).

The railroad formerly crossed Boyds Creek on a high trestle supported on 2 concrete piers in the creek channel. The piers are in good condition and are about 40 feet below the railroad grade. There is a crushed-rock county road on the west bank which crossed under the trestle which was probably 250 feet to 300 feet in length. The county road is about 20 feet below the railroad grade.

On the east bank there is a driveway to a 9-room brick house which is about 60 feet to 70 feet north of the railroad. This driveway is about 10 feet below the former railroad grade. The roadbed in front (south) of the house has been removed and a lawn planted.

Just west of this there is a pigpen and a junk auto dump on the railway along with several 3-to 4-strand barbed wire fences. For the next 3000 feet the railway is in good condition except for high weeds. Some trees are growing in the cuts and along the south side of the railway.

A short distance west of the Trundle Cemetery, the roadbed is quite muddy for several hundred feet and would require filling. This fill could be obtained from the fills east of the muddy section as some of the roadbed is several feet above the natural ground.

Near Buckingham Island the railroad crosses the old Sevierville Pike. Both concete abutments are in good condition and may be utilized for a replacement bridge. Ample clearance of 15 feet to 16 feet above the road is readily obtainable. The abutments are on a skew so the span is roughly 40 feet.

From this crossing the railroad leaves the vicinity of the pike and goes through a section of open country and then into a wooded area for 3000 feet. The roadbed in this area has had crushed limestone added and has been used as a road. There is a fence about 4000 feet from the crossing and another 7000 feet from the crossing.

Just a short distance west of this last fence, the railroad crosses a branch of Gists Creek. This bridge is fairly new and was built for wagon traffic. A few new running planks would put it in excellent condition (10 foot span).

From the bridge the roadbed is in the open until it crosses the old Sevierville Pike at BM S46.

In general, the roadbed is in good condition except for high weeds. Where the cattle have been allowed to graze, the weeds have been kept cropped off and walking was quite easy. There are several dirt farm roads crossing the roadbed which are not shown on the maps. They provide access to the level fields north of the railroad opposite Buckingham Island. There were no fences along the roads. In some sections the old railway fences are still in place.

Status Report No. 6 - B.M. 889 (S46) to Sevierville

Traveled by A. L. Edney, L. G. Fox

Notes by L. G. Fox

0 Mile Started at BM 889 (S46). Fields on both sides of creek. Trees on embankment sloping up to Gists Creek Bridge. Grade prominent here. Bridge dismantled but 2 piers of concrete, about 15 feet to 18 feet above water, seem to be in good condition. Total spans estimated to be three of 20 feet, a total of 60 feet. Debris along Gists Creek was deposited about 6 feet above water level.

0 - .2 Smoky Mountain Railroad 50 yards to 100 yards from road. Some brush, few trees and fields near or on Smoky Mountain Railroad grade. Not many fences.

.2 - 1.0 Smoky Mountain Railroad close to road. Some small groves of trees on the grade, some grown barely large enough for picnic spot.

1.0 - 1.7 Smoky Mountain Railroad route visible on fields (bottom lands).

1.7 - 2.4 Stokely cannery. Smoky Mountain Railroad believed to run through cluster of buildings. Fenced.

2.4 - 2.6 Smoky Mountain Railroad passes close to riverbank, east of 2 small oil depots, both fenced to river. Open fields.

2.6 - 2.7 Smoky Mountain Railroad obliterated.

2.7 - 3.0 Sevierville, US 441.

We scouted our section largely by auto. In general, the Smoky Mountain Railroad right-of-way closely follows the old Sevierville Pike and at all times was close enough to the road to evaluate the route. We started at Gists Creek Bridge and traveled to Sevierville on the new road built by TVA on the left bank of the Little Pigeon River channel. The distances given are approximate but should be a guide.

Although we hiked through tall wet weeds and occasionally passed unsightly places, we enjoyed many pastoral scenes and nice wooded sections. Overall, we feel that with a reasonable amount of corrective work, this route would help to meet the increasing need for occasional escape from the pressure of city living and highway traffic. It would afford a safer, more pleasant place for bicycling and hiking, whether for an hour or a day, as there are many access points. It would be suitable for individual travel or for use by such groups as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Sunday School groups and others.

O. K. Sergeant
President
Smoky Mountains Hiking Club